Motor vehicle door

ABSTRACT

A motor vehicle door consisting of an outer door panel, an inner door panel and an inner door trim as well as a window pane which can be displaced by means of a window lift. The inner door panel supports functional units, such as a window lift, lock, door handle and/or a side airbag. At least one assembly opening is provided in the inner door panel which is sealed against moisture or spray water by such a functional unit. Alternatively, a door module is provided to seal between the inner and outer door panels, and the door module includes at least one assembly opening to be sealed by such functional units.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates in general to a motor vehicle door, and moreparticularly, to a motor vehicle door having inner and outer door panelsand a window assembly opening sealed by a functional unit of the door.

German Patent No. DE-41 12 261 Al describes a motor vehicle door with anouter door panel and an inner door panel having a recess on which asocket part (module support) is mounted. The socket part supports anelectric window lift and a cable tree with several plug connections. Inthe assembled state, the socket part covers the largest area of theopening in the inner door panel. In the upper area of the inside of thedoor, between the edges of the inner door panel and socket part, is anassembly opening which is provided to allow a window lift to be fittedon a window lift rail, connected to the lower edge of the window pane,during assembly.

The described structural design has the drawback that the recessed partis not of a suitable size and shape to close the outer door areasubstantially hermetically from the inner door area and thus provide adry chamber suitable for housing electrical components. Owing to theremaining assembly openings, an additional large surface foil must beused in addition to divert the water.

German Patent No. EP 0 492 355 B discloses a door for a motor vehiclewith an assembly support which is cut out of the inner door panel andoccupies practically the entire surface of the door body lying under thebelt line. Fastening tabs spread out over the circumference on the innerdoor panel and on the assembly support serve to connect the two parts.However, free spaces remain between adjoining fastening tabs. Severalassembly openings are provided in the material of the assembly supportwhich potentially allow for the window winder to be connected to thewindow pane.

Even with this solution a separate seal is necessary to seal the innerdoor space from seeping water if one wants to avoid expensivewaterproofed designs for the electrical assemblies (e.g. electric motor)and plug connections.

German Patent No. DE 35 29 660 C2 describes a cable tree for a motorvehicle door which is mounted on a support plate of the inner door trimwhich seals the opening in the inner door panel substantially againstwater. Only in the lower area of the support plate are two cable guidesprovided through which an electric motor as well as the central lockingare to be provided with energy. However, sealing the cable guides is notprovided. Another variation starts from a door with an inner door panelwhich has some assembly openings and the cable tree is mounted with itsplug connections on the inner door trim.

Even these technical solutions have the already described drawbacksregarding the necessity for a separate sealing measure, or expensive wetarea designs of the door to protect the electrical components.

German Patent No. DE 39 28 685 C1 discloses a device for fixing a windowlift base plate on the inner wall of a vehicle door. A part of the outercircumference of the window lift base plate is connected to a flexibleextruded sealing profile which, in the assembled state of the windowlift, sealingly adjoins the inner door panel of the vehicle. A recess isprovided corresponding to the outline of the window lift base plate.When the window lift base plate is fitted on the inner door panel of thevehicle door, the recess (14) is indeed closed, but in order to adjustthe window, additional handles extending through further openingsseparated from the recess are required.

Japanese Patent No. JP 6-144011 (A) discloses a water-tight constructionfor a motor vehicle door wherein the inside wall of the door is providedwith a recess. With this device, a connecting cover is fixed fromoutside of the closed support plate with sealing material mountedtherebetween. Only after fitting further connecting rods are theopenings covered inside the inner door panel. These connection rodsremain after the connecting cover has been fitted.

Canadian Patent No. CA-A I 332 620 discloses a vehicle door with anoutside door panel, an inside door panel, and a door module which can beinserted in the inside wall. The door module supports all the functionalunits of the vehicle door. An inner door trim is fixed over the doormodule. In one embodiment a dry space is formed inside the door moduleand contains a door opener, an electrical control unit, and aloudspeaker. The dry space is formed from a suitably hollowed area ofthe door module which is not broken through, an area of the inner doortrim opposite the hollowed area, and suitable sealing faces between thedoor module and inner door trim.

However, a locally restricted assembly opening in the door module or inthe inner door panel which allows the window lift to be connected to awindow pane is not provided.

Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a motor vehicle door withlocally restricted assembly openings to facilitate assembly of a windowpane on a window lift which, without additional separate sealing meansfor these assembly openings, allows the door body to be divided into anouter wet chamber and an inner dry chamber with simple assembly, andwhich allows modular construction of the vehicle door.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment of a motor vehicle door according to the invention,the door includes outer and inner door panels with a door triminterposed between them. The door also includes a window lift forreceiving a window pane during assembly. The inner door panel includesone or more assembly openings to facilitate assembly of the window paneon the window lift. Each assembly opening is sealed against moistureand/or water spray by a functional unit typically included in motorvehicle doors.

According to another embodiment, at least one of the assembly openingsis closed through a functional unit, that is, for example, a manuallyoperating unit for the door lock, a side airbag, a unit for continuingor distributing drive energy or signals, or another functional unitcommon to motor vehicle doors.

According to yet another embodiment, an assembly opening, which has tobe provided in any case for assembling a window pane on a window lift,is not closed by an otherwise non-functional cover but instead is closedin a cost-effective space-saving manner using a functional unit which isto be provided in any case in the door. Such an existing assemblyopening is thereby used in an additional manner and way, namely forholding a functional unit.

According to a further embodiment, the door includes an inner door panelwhich preferably has a relatively large cut-out section which can beclosed in a watertight manner by a module support. The module supporthas assembly openings which allow, for example, the connection of awindow lift with the lower edge of the window pane and are then closedand sealed by a functional unit.

In order to improve the assembly sequences it is advantageous if thefunctional units are prefitted on the module support and after theassembly openings have fulfilled their function, they are closed in awatertight manner by the functional unit.

The functional units have sufficient mechanical stability to make themsuitable for supporting a padding and absorbing accident-conditionedforces to the required extent. When using several functional units,these can be connected together in order to support a component part ofthe adjoining function unit.

Preferably, all the electrical or electronic components and componentparts are mounted in the dry chamber of the door body so that expensivewet chamber designs can be avoided.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will now be explained in further detail with reference tothe described embodiments and the illustrated drawings in which:

FIG. 1a is a side view of a vehicle door according to one embodiment ofthe invention with a large cut-out section in the inner door panel;

FIG. 1b is a side view of a module support with two assembly openings aswell as an electric window lift (shown in shadow) and central lockingunit prefitted thereon;

FIG. 1c is a side view of two functional units, a manual operating unitfor a door lock, and a side airbag;

FIG. 1d is a side view of a module support with functional units in apreassembled transport position;

FIG. 1e is a side view of a vehicle door in the finished assembled statewherein all component parts are located in functional, fully assembledpositions;

FIG. 1f is an exploded perspective view of the vehicle door in modularstructure;

FIG. 2a is a side view of a vehicle door according to another embodimentwith a practically completely closed inner door panel having only twoassembly openings; and

FIG. 2b is a side view of two functional units, a manual operating unitfor a door lock and a side airbag for assembly on the door of FIG. 2a.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention can be used with particular advantage when the vehicledoor has a modular structure according to the embodiment of FIGS. 1a and1b. FIG. 1 shows a side view of the door body which consists of an innerdoor panel 1b with a large door cutout section, opening 10, throughwhich an outer door panel 1a can be seen. A window frame 11 is providedfor guiding a window pane 2. Fixing elements 20 are attached to thelower edge of the window pane to connect with a window lift mechanism31.

To close the opening 10 in the inner door panel 1b there is a modulesupport 3 on which a window lift mechanism 31 is mounted. The lever arms31b, 31d of the window lift mechanism 31 are swivel mounted in anarticulated joint 311 and are each connected at one end through swivelsliding joints to a lift rail 31a. The opposing end of one lever arm 31dis guided in a guide rail 31e. The opposing end of the other lever arm,which is mounted on a rotary axis 310 connected to the module support 3,is formed as a toothed segment 31c and engages a toothed element of themotorized drive 31f. The window lift mechanism 31 is mounted on the sidefacing the outer door panel 1a, whereas the motorized drive 31f islocated on the other side facing the inner door trim (not shown). Thusthe electrical and/or electronic components are in the so-called "drychamber" of the door body, that is, the portion of the door adjacent theinterior of the assembled vehicle and sealed from moisture. The forcetransfer between the window lift mechanism 31 and the motorized drive31f is through a drive axle 31ff projecting through the module support 3and sealed against the inlet of water.

In the upper area of the module support 3 are two assembly openings 3a,3b through which the connection is made during assembly between the liftrail 31a and the fixing elements 20 of the window pane 2. These assemblyopenings 3a, 3b are now not closed in the usual way by a foil or byseparate cover or the like to protect the inner door space (dry chamber)against moisture, but rather the closure of the assembly openings isprovided according to the invention through functional units which areto be provided in any case in the door.

Such functional units can include, for example, with reference to FIG.1c manual operating means 5 for the door lock; a side airbag 6; anelectric drive unit; or a structural group for sending drive energy orsignals. Naturally, the various embodiments of the invention are notrestricted only to the closing of such assembly openings which areallocated to a crossarm window winder or window lift of another kind.Other embodiments can be used for closing assembly openings of any kindthrough one or more functional units.

The module support 3 includes on its circumference a seal 30 whichprovides a water-tight sealing closure in conjunction with the innerdoor panel. Furthermore, a lock unit 4 is mounted on the module support3. The lock unit 4 has an engagement point 41 for a rod linkage, or aBowden cable, 410 for operation. The locking rod 40 projects through theassembly opening 3b from the lock 4 on the so-called "wet chamber" side,that is, the side not sealed from the inlet of water, and is accessiblefor manual operation on the dry chamber side with its upper free end.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 1c provides a manual operating unit 5 for adoor lock as well as a side airbag 6 as functional units for closing theassembly openings 3a, b. According to this embodiment, the manualoperating unit 5 consists basically of a bearing shell 50 which supportsa seal 51 and an operating handle 52, wherein the latter is connectedafter assembly through the rod linkage, or Bowden cable, 410 at theengaging point 41 with the door lock 4.

The side airbag 6 consists basically of a bearing shell 60 with seal 61and airbag module 62. Furthermore three openings 63, 64, 65 are providedfor passing through component parts which are likewise to be sealedagainst moisture or at least protected against spray water. Thus theopening 63 serves to provide passage for the rod linkage 410 from thehandle 52 to the door lock 4 mounted in the wet chamber. Through theopening 64 is passed a cable 7 which likewise supplies the lock 4 andthus guarantees the functioning of the central locking. The opening 65serves solely for passing through the locking rod 40 from the drychamber to the wet chamber.

The bearing shells 50, 60 and the modular support 3 have a stableconstruction (particularly in the area 300) so that they can withstandthe forces exerted on them by the surrounding portions of the door inthe event of an accident. Accordingly, the danger of injury throughaccident or the degree of seriousness of such injuries can be reduced.

FIG. 1d shows the functional units 5,6 in a preassembled transport stateon the module support 3 wherein the assembly openings 3a, 3b are coveredonly so far to facilitate a problem-free assembly of the window lift 31.The illustrated module has a high degree of integration and is suitableto allow considerable improvements regarding the assembly sequence andthus also a cost saving. The functional units 5,6 have a doublefunction; in addition to their actual useful purpose they serve to closethe assembly openings 3a,3b. Separate measures for sealing are therebysaved. After assembly of all the structural groups and functional units5,6 in the door body, they are located in the functioning position shownin FIG. 1e.

The perspective illustration of the vehicle door in modular structureaccording to FIG. 1f shows the state of the vehicle door after theconnection of the window lift mechanism 31 with the window pane 2 anddirectly before closing the assembly openings 3a, 3b with the functionalunits 5,6. Furthermore, it can be clearly seen that the window liftmechanism 31 lies in the wet chamber between the outer door panel 1a andthe inner door panel 1b; whereas the drive unit 31f is mounted in thedry chamber between the inner door panel 1b and the inner door trim (notshown).

FIG. 2a shows a door body with a practically completely closed innerdoor panel 1'b. Only two assembly openings 3'a,3'b were formed forfitting the window lift in the inner door panel 1'b. The contours of theassembly openings 3'a,3'b and the contours of the functional units 5,6provided for closing are matched with each other. Owing to the spatialconditions of the two functional units 5,6 through the rod linkage 410,these are preferably supplied together for assembly.

For the other features of the vehicle door, the explanations made forthe embodiments of the door shown in FIGS. 1a to 1e apply here.

Although the present invention has been described with respect toparticular embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate thatthe present invention may be modified without departing from the scopeof the invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to beincluded within the scope of the invention as defined by the followingclaims.

We claim:
 1. Motor vehicle door comprising:an outer door panel; afunctional unit comprising a side airbag having a support housing and aseal, the support housing having a guide for a cable; an inner doorpanel for supporting the functional unit, the inner door panelpositioned adjacent to the outer door panel; a window lift forconnecting with a window pane during assembly at a connecting location,wherein a portion of the window lift is located between the inner doorpanel and the outer door panel and the inner door panel substantiallycovers the portion of the window lift, wherein the inner door panel hasan assembly opening positioned to expose the connecting location tofacilitate assembling the window pane on the window lift and wherein theassembly opening for assembling the window pane on the window lift isclosed by the functional unit.
 2. Motor vehicle door according to claim1 wherein the functional unit is preassembled in order to facilitatetransport of the functional unit.
 3. Motor vehicle door according toclaim 1 wherein the inner door panel has a wet side in a wet chamberlocated between the outer door panel and the inner door panel, andwherein the inner door panel has a dry side opposite the wet side. 4.Motor vehicle door according to claim 2 wherein the at least onefunctional unit is positioned on the dry side of the inner door panel.5. Motor vehicle door comprising:an outer door panel; a functional unitcomprising a door lock; an inner door panel for supporting thefunctional unit, the inner door panel positioned adjacent to the outerdoor panel; a window lift for connecting with a window pane duringassembly at a connecting location, wherein a portion of the window liftis located between the inner door panel and the outer door panel and theinner door panel substantially covers the portion of the window lift,wherein the inner door panel has an assembly opening positioned toexpose the connecting location to facilitate assembling the window paneon the window lift and wherein the assembly opening for assembling thewindow pane on the window lift is closed by the functional unit. 6.Motor vehicle door comprising:an outer door panel; a functional unitcomprising a side airbag having a support housing and a seal, thesupport housing having a guide for a Bowden cable; an inner door panelfor supporting the functional unit, the inner door panel positionedadjacent to the outer door panel; a window lift for connecting with awindow pane during assembly at a connecting location, wherein a portionof the window lift is located between the inner door panel and the outerdoor panel and the inner door panel substantially covers the portion ofthe window lift; wherein the inner door panel has an assembly openingpositioned to expose the connecting location to facilitate assemblingthe window pane on the window lift and wherein the assembly opening forassembling the window pane on the window lift is closed by thefunctional unit.
 7. Motor vehicle door comprising:an outer door panel; afunctional unit comprising a side airbag having a support housing and aseal, the support housing having a guide for a rod linkage; an innerdoor panel for supporting the functional unit, the inner door panelpositioned adjacent to the outer door panel; a window lift forconnecting with a window pane during assembly at a connecting location,wherein a portion of the window lift is located between the inner doorpanel and the outer door panel and the inner door panel substantiallycovers the portion of the window lift, wherein the inner door panel hasan assembly opening positioned to expose the connecting location tofacilitate assembling the window pane on the window lift and wherein theassembly opening for assembling the window pane on the window lift isclosed by the functional unit.
 8. Motor vehicle door comprising:an outerdoor panel; an inner door panel adjacent the outer door panel, the innerdoor panel having a cut-out section; a functional unit; a door modulefor supporting the functional unit, wherein the door module is sealinglymounted to the inner door panel over the cut-out section; and a windowlift for connecting with a window pane during assembly at a connectinglocation, wherein a portion of the window lift is located between theinner door panel and the outer door panel, the window lift beingsupported by the door module, wherein the door module has an assemblyopening positioned to expose the connecting location to facilitateassembling the window pane on the window lift, and wherein the assemblyopening is closed by the functional unit.
 9. Motor vehicle dooraccording to claim 8 wherein the inner door panel has a wet side in awet chamber located between the outer door panel and the inner doorpanel, and wherein the inner door panel has a dry side opposite the wetside.
 10. Motor vehicle door according to claim 9 wherein the functionalunit is positioned on the dry side of the inner door panel.
 11. Motorvehicle door according to claim 8 wherein the functional unit closingthe assembly opening supports a padding.
 12. Motor vehicle dooraccording to claim 8 wherein the functional unit comprises a water tightseal for sealing the assembly opening.
 13. Motor vehicle door accordingto claim 8 wherein the functional unit is an inner door handlecomprising a bearing shell and a seal.
 14. Motor vehicle door accordingto claim 8 wherein the functional unit is a side airbag comprising asupport housing and a seal.
 15. Motor vehicle door according to claim 14wherein the support housing of the side airbag comprises a guide for acable.
 16. Motor vehicle door according to claim 14 wherein the supporthousing of the side airbag comprises a guide for a Bowden cable. 17.Motor vehicle door according to claim 14 wherein the support housing ofthe side airbag comprises a guide for a rod linkage.
 18. Motor vehicledoor according to claim 8 wherein the functional unit comprises a doorlock.
 19. Motor vehicle door according to claim 8 having a modularstructure wherein the functional unit serving for closing the assemblyopening is preassembled on a module support in a position thatfacilitates transport of the functional unit.
 20. Motor vehicle doorcomprising:an outer door panel; a functional unit comprising a sideairbag; an inner door panel for supporting the functional unit, theinner door panel positioned adjacent to the outer door panel; a windowlift for receiving a window pane during assembly, wherein the inner doorpanel has an assembly opening to facilitate assembling the window paneon the window lift and wherein the assembly opening for assembling thewindow pane on the window lift is closed by the functional unit; whereinthe side airbag comprises a support housing having a first guide for oneof a cable or linkage and a seal.
 21. Motor vehicle door according toclaim 20 further comprising a second guide and a third guide, the firstguide for a cable, the second guide for a Bowden cable and the thirdguide for a rod linkage.